Iran has reacted negatively to US President Donald Trump’s offer of bilateral negotiations, with the head of the Revolutionary Guards dismissing the idea outright, writes Nassir Shirkhani.

Trump’s offer came after he tore up Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement in May, setting the stage for severe US sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The US has set a deadline of 4 November for major buyers of Iranian oil to stop their purchases.

The looming US sanctions have led to a worsening economic crisis in Iran that has seen a sharp drop in the value of the Iranian currency since Trump walked out of the nuclear deal.

“Mr Trump, Iran is not North Korea to accept your offer for a meeting,” Revolutionary Guards commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said.

“Even US presidents after you will not see that day.”

Trump said this week he is willing to meet with Iran’s leadership, without preconditions, “whenever they want” — a sharp departure from his threats against the regime last week.

“I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet,” Trump said. “I do believe that they will probably end up wanting to meet. I’m ready to meet whenever they want to.

“No preconditions,” he added. “They want to meet, I’ll meet, whenever they want.”

However, Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri, a senior cleric and member of Iran’s influential Expediency Council, said Trump’s offer of talks should not be categorically rejected.

“It should be discussed in the Supreme National Security Council,” said Nategh Nouri, who is also a former aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Nategh Nouri said: “We have to contemplate” the gesture, but he also cautioned “we should not rejoice over this offer and not get excited.”

In his first public comments after the Trump remarks, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani avoided mentioning Trump’s comments, instead stressing the need for the other nations involved in the nuclear deal to forge ahead with their pledges of trying to salvage it.

“Today we are at a very critical point in history regarding the nuclear deal, and Europe’s transparent measures to compensate for the US’ unlawful withdrawal from it are very important for the Iranian nation,” Rouhani said after talks with new British Ambassador Rob Macaire.

The UK, along with China, Germany, France, Russia and the European Union are negotiating with Iran on preserving the deal.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he supports Trump’s willingness to sit down and talk with Iranian leaders.

Weekly

Iran snubs offer of a meeting by Trump